A rural Waikato high school is denying claims it's banned students from attending their school ball if their parents haven't paid the voluntary donation.
Te Kauwhata College, a decile 4 school with about 500 students, was targeted on social media by an angry parent, claiming their daughter's boyfriend was told he couldn't buy a ticket until his "fees" were paid.
Others on Twitter quickly piled on.
"Excluding students from a $95 ticketed event for being unable to afford an exorbitant voluntary donation isn't acceptable," one person said.
"They're not supposed to call voluntary donations 'fees' because it implies they must be paid. You cannot punish or exclude students whose families can't afford to donate."
Some accused the school of breaching Ministry of Education rules, which ban schools from calling the voluntary donation a "fee" or "withhold[ing] information or privileges because a parent has not paid a donation".
A screenshot from a newsletter the school sent to parents read: "Outstanding fees from past years, and course and sports fees for 2019, must be paid before students are allowed to purchase ball tickets."
Principal Deborah Hohneck said the claims being made on Twitter were "incorrect".
"This does not refer to the school donation," she told Newshub.
Last year, Te Kauwhata College asked for a $20 donation. For large families, there was a maximum fee of $60.
Hohneck confirmed the screenshot was accurate.
"Yes, this is what is in the ball permission letter. The 'fees' do not refer to the donation."
The angry parent who first made the claim declined to talk to Newshub. They later tweeted they've now raised enough money from others on Twitter to clear his outstanding debts and buy not just him, but two others, tickets to the school's ball.
Schools are allowed to charge for non-compulsory and optional activities.
"If the event or activity isn't part of teaching the curriculum... then it's legitimate for the school to exclude students who haven't paid the admission price or travel costs," according to Community Law.
Te Kauwhata College's website says it charges for "extra-curricular activities" such as sports, drama, optional school trips and kapa haka.
"The charges relate directly to the costs involved in the activities and, therefore, are compulsory if the student takes part in the activity."
From next year, schools will be paid $150 per student if they stop asking parents for donations.
Newshub.
